Current events (3)

The feds arrested 3 men in North Carolina on Saturday and charged them with prepping for martial law. The men had stockpiled weapons, ammunition and tactical gear in preparation for a government takeover and the possibility of martial law. The feds began investigating in June when they received a tip that the men were attempting to build homemade explosives.
While making homemade explosives is most likely what caused this investigation it also brings to light the fact that we all need to be aware of what is around us, who we talk too, where we go, what we do, and who we allow into our inner circle.
The important thing to learn from this is that these men were making homemade explosives which is in fact illegal. These men now face federal conspiracy charges that carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Campbell has been charged with a separate firearms charge punishable by 10 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.
While some of these men's activities were ill advised it doesn't lesson the fact that the feds were targeting all of their activities not just those that are illegal. Keep your preps on the upside and don't do anything that is going to put you in this situation.
According to authorities the men had purchased hand-held radios, Kevlar helmets, body armor and face masks. While these items are not illegal to purchase or own this action should make us very aware that we are all being watched. Keep your preps to yourself, keep your mouth shut and watch who you trust.
"In addition to the FBI, agencies assisting in the investigation include the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Air Marshal Service as well as local police in Charlotte, Belmont, Mount Holly and Gastonia." (www.ap.org)
Sources:
www.ap.org
www.whig.com

On July 19th University of Cincinnati campus police officer Raymond Tensing (25) shot and killed Samuel DuBose (43), an unarmed black man that he had pulled over for a routine traffic stop. Fortunately for the investigating officers (and perhaps Cincinnati?) Tensing was wearing a Body Camera that captured the entire incident.
Tensing’s body camera clearly shows the campus officer asking DuBose questions about his license plate, the ensuing confusion about where DuBose’ driver’s license was, DuBose clearing asking the campus officer why he had been pulled over and Tensing attempting to open the car door and it being pulled shut again by DuBose. What it does not show is a clear indication for the reason the officer pulled his gun and proceeded to shoot and kill the driver. So if the body camera does not show DuBose as acting aggressively or posing a threat to the officer, why did it escalate so quickly into what some are calling “a senseless, asinine shooting”? (www.washingtonpost.com)
There are many questions that arise from this situation - should campus police officers be given full authority to act as fully trained police officers? Should all police officers be required to wear body cameras? What could have been done to prevent this from happening? Should Tensing have been still employed by the University of Cincinnati considering his history as a campus officer? “Mr. Deters said Officer Tensing “should never have been a police officer,” but he declined to elaborate”. (www.mobile.nytimes.com)
This situation has clearly raised concerns over whether Cincinnati is going to end up like Ferguson and Baltimore and rightly so. Unfortunately there is a recent history of excessive and even deadly force being used against black citizens that were stopped or arrested by white police officers. The difference with this incident is that there is an indisputable video recording of the entire incident thanks to the body camera that officer Tensing was wearing.
Now it is up to the authorities to decide how to handle this situation…so far it appears that Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters is doing what he needs to do, he has indicted officer Tensing with murder. Question is will he be able to prosecute him…In a weird twist of fate the union representing the University of Cincinnati police force has filed a grievance on behalf of officer Tensing demanding that he be given his job back. Their reason for this grievance they state is the University fired the officer without due process. So far the University is standing by their decision, let’s hope they stand firm with this decision. If not…will we see yet another city torn apart by hatred and frustration?
What are your thoughts? What do you think about campus police officers being given full authority to act as fully trained police officers?
Sources:
www.washingtonpost.com
www.mobile.nytimes.com
www.usatoday.com

Here's a good example of the second amendment averting yet another criminal enterprise. It will take good people with guns to stop the bad people, and one has to wonder would an armed congregation have stopped the deadly SC church shooting?[caption id="attachment_2126" align="aligncenter" width="621"] Police converged on a church in Baytown, Texas, where a pastor shot an alleged burglar on Tuesday, July 28, 2015. CBS KHOU.[/caption]
Here's a good example of the second amendment averting yet another criminal enterprise. It will take good people with guns to stop the bad people, and one has to wonder would an armed congregation have stopped the deadly SC church shooting?
On July 28th a man breaks into a church, gets caught stealing electronics and gets shot...the man that shot the criminal is none other than Pastor Benny Holmes. The Pastor is a man of the cloth but he is also a veteran and well versed in the use of firearms:

The pastor's ex-wife said Holmes, who is a Vietnam veteran, has been sleeping at the church recently.

While this Pastor is not afraid to defend his property he also knows that asking the Lord to forgive those that have lost their way is always the right thing to do. "We're going to be praying for the victim but at the same time we're thankful that it wasn't the pastor," Pat Holmes said. "He loves the Lord. A man of God cares for his sheep and certainly protects the property."

Pastor Benny Holmes is no stranger to his community or to his local police department as he had previously set up his own sting operation in order to catch a thief that had been stealing UPS packages from not only his home but from his neighbors as well. Once caught the Pastor held the thief at gunpoint until the police arrived.

Local officers knew Benny Holmes because he planned his own sting operation in September to catch a thief who was stealing packages off porches in the area, including his own. He caught Laurie Ferguson, 52, and held her at gunpoint until police arrived to arrest her, and Baytown officers later found at least 30 stolen items stockpiled in the woman's closet.

The suspect (Pictured left): Lee Marvin Blue, 27, was arrested July 28, 2015, after entering a church at around 6 a.m. and being shot by the pastor. (Photo:Texas Department of Public Safety)
There are many that could learn something from this situation and Pastor Holmes...owning a gun does not make you a bad person and believing in the Bible does not make you better than anyone else. These are tools, tools used to defend and to protect as well as to give us the ability to survive for each one is no stronger than the person wielding it. I have a great deal of admiration for the Pastor, he is a hero...a man of God that isn't afraid to use the tools he has been given.